Tobacco seed planter



Aug. l5, 1950 L. o. scoTT 2,518,322

' TOBACCO SEED PLANTER Filed sept. e, 194e s sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. afm/ 0. 50077;

ALP/3M- y@ Aus 15, 195o L. o. sco" 2,518,822

` TOBACCO SEED PLANTER Filed Sept. 6, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. HA/VD 0. '60.077,'

Aug, 15, 195o ,Y L, o, SCQTT 2,518,822

' TOBACCO SEED PLANTER Filed Sept. 6, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fm/Va .0. 60072;

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ATTORNEY@ Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED y STATES PATENT GFFICE TOBACCO SEED PLANTER Leland 0. Scott, Goldsboro, N. C.

Application September 6, 1946, Serial No. 695,198

(o1. iii- 75) Claims.

This invention relates to a tobacco seeding machine, and it is one object of the `invention to provide a machine so constructed that it may be pushed across a field and shallow trenches formed to receive seed dropped from a seed container forming an element of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seeder having the seed container provided with a depending spout which has its lower portion disposed between shields between which trenches are formed and thus cause the seed to be dropped into trenches formed in the ground without being blown away from the trenches transversely thereof as they drop from the spout.

Another object of the invention is to provide the seeder with a seed container mounted so that as the machine is pushed across a field vibrating movement will be imparted to the container and seed in the container caused to sift through outlet perforations into the spout.

Another object of the invention is to provide supporting means for the container adapted to be mounted vertically midway the width of the frame of the seeding machine and carrying at its lower end a roller which is yieldably held in contact with a toothed wheel or gear fixed upon the shaft or axle of the machine so that it turns with the axle and impartsshort vibrating movement to the support and the container as the machine moves forwardly across a eld.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seeding machine having a seed container divided to form a compartment in which a mass of seed is placed and a spreader compartment into which the seed passes and spreads out upon the bottom of the spreader compartment so that it may sift througha group of small perforations in the bottom of the spreader compartment and drop downwardly through the spoutinto the ground.

Another object of the invention is. to provide a seeding machine which is of simple construction, eflicient in operation and strong and durable.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein;

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofV seeding machine; Y

lFigure 2` is a top plan view of the seeding machine;

. Figure 3 is a sectional view taken transversely .through the seeding machine along the line 3 3 of Figure 2; u

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View taken the improved Y along the line 4 4 of Figure 2;

6 through the seed container along the line 1 1 M `ofFigure6; f"

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken through the seed container along the line 8 8 of Figure 6; Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9 9 of Figure 4; and

Figure 10 is a perspective View of the bracket by means of which the shank of the shield is connected with an auxiliary frame of the seeder. This improved seeding machine has a main frame I which is formed of strong metal and has side bars 2 connected at their front ends by a cross bar or bridge 3. The side bars 2 may be of any desired length and will have their rear portions connected with a suitable handle by means of which the machine is to be pushed across a eld constituting a seed bed. A shaft or axle 4 which extends transversely of the frame is rotatably mounted through bearings 5 of the side bars2 and has its' end portions projecting outwardly from the side bars and carrying wheels E which are fixed tothe shaft so that as the wheels turn the shaft will turn with them. A strip'l which has its end portions Atapered to form scraping blades B is secured against the front face of the bridge 3 by bolts 9, and since the blades pro.- ject from opposite sides of the frame in front of the wheels 6, they will serve to scrape dirt from the wheels and keepthe wheels clean during use of the seeder. .Y y v A yoke Il) extends` transversely. of the main frame with its depending armsl I secured against the side bars 2. A standard I2 formed of stiff metal extends lvertically back of the yoke and at its top is provided `with a forwardly extending arm I3 which issecured against the under face of the yoke by screws I4, the front end portion of the arm i3 `being extended beyond the bridge and formed Awith lingers I5 which are spaced from each other transversely of the arm. The standard has its lower end spaced upwardly from the ground and carries a blade or plate i6 which has upper and lower end portions bent rearwardly and serrated to form teeth I'I by means of shallow trenches in the ground as the seeder is moved forwardly. The blade or plate I6 may have either end disposed downwardly in position for forming the trenches and midway Vitsfwidth is formed with a vertical slot I8 through'which a screw 9 passes to securethe plate to the standard. Since Vthe plate is formed with a slot it may be shifted vertically. to `regulate the depth of the trenches formed byitsteeth' I'I. A block 26 which is disposed between the plate and the iront Yface of the standard holds the plate parallel to the standard.

In order to hold a quantity of tobacco seeds, which are very small, there has been provided a container ZI which is formed of metal and is of cylindrical shape. The container is disposed vertically back of the standard and has its open 0 upper end closed by a removable cover 22.l A

partition '23. extends vertically in the container at such an incline that it slopes forwardly towards its lower end with its upper end disposed substantially diametrically of the container and its lower end close to the forward portion of the wall of the container. The partition divides the container into a front chamber 24 to receive a supply of seeds that are poured and a rear chamber 25 into which seeds flow from the front chamber through an opening 25 at the lower end of the partition. Since the partition-is arcuate transversely, it will serve as a chute for directing the seed towards the opening .26 and all of the seed will flow from the front chamber `into the rear chamber when the machine is in use. Upon entering the rear chamber the seeds spread out and form a thin layer upon the bottom 21 of the container, and when the container is vibrated, the seeds will sift through the group of small perforations 26 formed at the center of the bottom of the container and drop into the spout 29. The spout extends downwardly from the container and is open at its lower end for discharge Vof seeds upon the ground. The spout is square in cross section, as shown in 'Figure 8, and lower ends of its side walls are extended rearwardly to form wings 30 which project from the spout and allow the seeds falling through the spout in a cloud to spread out rearwardly and drop upon the ground and enter the trenches formed by the teeth of the blade.

The container 'is carried by a bracket 3l which .is -of inverted U-shape and has an upper cross bar 32 and front and rear arms 33 and 34. The .front arm of bracket 3l is secured by a screw 35 fiat against a cross bar or strip 36 which is formed of resilient metal and secured at its ends to posts 31 by bolts 38. The posts are rigidly mounted upon end portions of the yoke I5 by fasteners 39 and braced against tilting out of a vertical position by a cross bar which is curved longitudinally and secured to the standards by bolts 4I. A hook 42 at the lower end .of the rear armli of bracket 3! forms a seat for the flanged vlower end of the container yZI and a bolt 43 carrying a spacer 44 firmly secures the container in place upon the rear arm in slight spaced relation thereto 4so that the cover 22 may be readily removed for filling the compartment 24 with seeds. The front arm of the bracket 3l extends between the fingers I5 of the arm I3 of standard I2 and against the front face of its lower end portion is disposed a bearing bracket 45 which is secured by rivets 45 and has depending legs 41 between which is mounted a shaft 49 carrying a roller 50. A helical spring 5I extends horizontally between the upper portion of the standard I2 and the lower portion of the arm 33 and is mounted under tension by anchoring loops 52 and 53. This vspring holds the roller in engagement with a toothed wheel 54 fixed upon the shaft 4, and from an inspection of Figure 4, it will be seen that as the shaft turns the toothed wheel 54 will act upon the roller Y and impart vibrating movement to the bracket 3|. This vibrating .of the bracket will cause the container to be vibrated and the tobacco seeds will be caused to be Asifted through the openings 28 and fall downwardly through the spout 29 from which they pass onto the ground. A bolt 55 which passes horizontally through the arms of the bracket and is secured by nuts 55 and 51 serves to brace the arms of the `bracket against movement relative to each other and, therefore, the bracket will vibrate as a unit during operation of the seeder.V

Since the tobacco seeds are very small, wind would be liable to blow seeds dropping from the 4 lower end of the spout away from the trenches formed by the teeth of the blade I6. In order to prevent this, there have been provided shields 58. These shields are formed'frcm metal plates which extend longitudinally of the seeder and their front end portions curved upwardly so that the shields may move forwardly along the ground without catching. The shields or plates are secured by rivets 59 to bars GG which have forward portions projecting from the plates and extending at an upward incline and near their front ends are widened so that openings may be formed through them to receive bolts 5I and connect the bars or Shanks 6B with the side bars 52 of an auxiliary frame 63. The auxiliary frame has its side bars pivotally mounted about a shaft 54 `which extends transversely of the seeding machine 'between forward end portions of the side bar 2 of the main frame I. Washers 65 are tted about the shaft to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft through the side bars 2 and shifting of the auxiliary frame along the shaft and these washers are held in place about the shaft by cotter keys 55. Plates or brackets 61 are disposed between confronting side faces of the side bars 52 and the forward end portions of the bars 511i and formed with openings 58 to receive the bolts 5I and since the bolts pass through spacer sleeves 69, the bolts may be tightened without exerting binding action which would prevent vertical tilting of the bars 55 and the shields 58. Centertongues 1I! which project laterally from upper and lower edges of the plates engage across upper and lower edges of the bars 52 to prevent tilting of the brackets or plates 61 about the sleeves 55 and in order to limit tilting of the bars or shanks 50, there have been provided front and rear tongues 1I which project laterally from the brackets across the upper and lower edges of the Shanks. When the shields are resting upon the ground in the position shown in Figure 4, the edges of the Shanks are spaced from the tongues 1I and allow the shanks to have tilting movement which permits the shields to follow uneven surfaces or pass over stones which may be encountered, but such tilting movement will be limited by engagement of the shanks with the tongues. A roller 12 which is disposed between side bars of the auxiliary frame and has its stub shafts 13 rotatably mounted through openings in the side bars, and this roller rests upon the ground to support the auxiliary frame. A chain 14 is connected at one end with a lug 15 at the rear end of the auxiliary frame and detachably engaged with a hook 15 carried by the main frame so that by adjusting the chain vertical tilting of the auxiliary frame may be controlled. When the chain is drawnupwardly a sufficient distance, it will support the auxiliary frame at such a height that the roller 12 will be out of contact with the ,ground and the blades or shields held off of the ground. The seeder may then be `moved forwardly without the shields dragging along the ground. The roller, when in its lowered position, rolls along the ground and serves to pack seed into the ground.

From the foregoing description of the construction :of my improved device, the operation thereof will be readily understood and it will be seen that I have provided a comparatively simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the various objects of the invention. While I have described the elements best .adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is apparent that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from or sacricing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A seeding machine comprising a main frame, an axle rotatably mounted transversely of the main frame, wheels xed to said axle, a yoke mounted across the main frame over said axle, a standard disposed vertically and having a forwardly extending arm at its upper end secured to the yoke and provided with ngers projecting forwardly from the yoke, a blade mounted against the lower end portion of said standard for vertical adjustment and having teeth across its lower end for forming seed-receiving trenches in the 'ground as the machine is moved forwardly, posts rising from said yoke at opposite sides of the frame, a resilient cross strip carried by said posts,

a bracket of inverted U-shape having a bridge .1

spaced upwardly from the cross strip and depending front and rear arms, the front arm being secured to the cross strip and extending downwardly between the lingers, a seed container carried by the rear arm having a bottom formed with a group of outlet perforations and a depend ing spout surrounding the outlet perforations, a brace carried by and extending between the front and rear arms of the bracket, a bearing bracket carried by and extending downwardly from the front arm, a roller rotatably mounted across the lower end of the bearing bracket in front of said axle, a wheel rigidly mounted about the axle back of the roller, and a spring mounted under tension between the standard and the front arm of the bracket under the yoke and exerting pull upon the front arm to yieldably hold the roller against the wheel and cause vibration of the bracket by the wheel as it turns and thereby vibrate the container to sift seed through its perforations into the spout.

2. A seeder comprising a main frame, an axle rotatably mounted transversely of the main frame, wheels xed to the axle, a toothed wheel iixed to said axle, a yoke mounted upon the frame over the axle, a standard extending downwardly from said yoke and having means at its lower end for forming seed-receiving trenches in ground as the seeder is moved forwardly, posts rising from said yoke, a resilient cross strip carried by said posts, a bracket straddling the yoke and the cross strip and having front and rear arms, the front arm being secured to the cross strip and extending downwardly in front of the yoke, a roller mounted at the lower end of the front arm in front of the toothed wheela seed container carried by the rear arm and having outlet perforations in its bottom and a depending spout, and a spring mounted between the standard and the front arm of the bracket and exerting rearward pull to yieldably hold the roller against the wheel and cause vibration of the bracket and the container to sift seeds through the outlet perforations into the spout during movement of, the seeder along the ground.

3. A seeding machine comprising a main frame, an axle rotatably mounted across the frame, wheels xed upon the axle, a support mounted across said frame, a standard depending from said support and provided with means for form ing seed-receiving trenches in ground as the seeding machine is moved forwardly, a resilient strip mounted transversely of the frame over the support, a. bracket carried by said strip and having front and rear arms straddling the support and the standard, a seed container carried .by the rear arm and formed with outlet perforations in its bottom, a toothed wheel carried by and turning with the axle, a roller rotatably supported at the lower end of the front arm, and a spring between the standard and the front arm exerting pull upon the front arm and yieldably holding the roller against the toothed wheel for causing vibration of the bracket and the seed container to sift seed through the outlet perforations and into trenches formed in the ground as the seeding machine is moved forwardly.

4. A seeder comprising a main frame, an axle rotatably mounted across said frame, wheels carried by said axle, a support carried by said frame, a standard carried by said support and provided with means for forming seedreceiving trenches during forward movement of the seeder, a resilient strip carried by said support, a bracket straddling said support and secured to said resilient strip and thereby mounted for vibrating movement, a seed-container carried by said bracket back of said support, said container being formed with outlet periorations in its bottom and having a depending spout located back of said standard, a toothed wheel turning with said axle, a roller carried by said bracket, and a spring connected with the standard and the bracket and yieldably holding the roller against the toothed wheel for causing vibration of the bracket and the seed container and thereby causing seeds to be sifted out of the container through the outlet perforations during forward movement of the seeder.

5. A seeder comprising a main frame, an axle rotatably mounted across said frame, wheels carried by said axle, a mounting carried by and extending upwardly from said frame and including a resilient strip extending transversely of the frame, a bracket over said frame having a bridge .and front and rear arms extending downwardly from its bridge, the front arm being secured to Y said resilient strip and extending downwardly therefrom, a seed container carried by the rear arm of said bracket and having a bottom formed with outlet perforations, and a member carried by and turning with said axle and cto-operating with the front arm for vibrating the bracket and the resilient strip and thereby vibrating the seed container and causing seeds to be shaken from the container through the perforations as the seeder is moved across a iield.

LELAND O. SCOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 329,020 Collins Oct. 27, 1885 404,077 Eaton May 28, 1889 544,222 Gray Aug. 6, 1895 882,379 Gilbreath Mar. 17, 1908 912,635 Ware Feb. 16, 1909 1,113,242 Pace Oct. 13, 1914 1,433,856 Smith Oct. 31, 1922 1,967,915 Tubbs July 24, 1934 2,196,289 Bracchiglione Apr. 9, 1940 2,216,423 Scott Oct. 1, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 552,407 Great Britain Apr. 6, 1943 

